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208 results
Rewarding What Matters in Energy Efficiency
This report by RMI examines the shift toward "climate-forward efficiency," which prioritizes energy efficiency, electrification, and demand flexibility specifically to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. It analyzes the use of Performance Incentive Mechanisms (PIMs) to align utility business models—which traditionally favor capital investment and sales growth—with state climate goals.
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Document type: Report
By the Numbers: Low-Income Energy Assistance
This RMI fact sheet analyzes the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) in the United States, concluding that federal funding is insufficient to cover the energy costs of all eligible low-income families and that significant numbers of eligible households remain unserved due to barriers like lack of awareness and complex application procedures.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Regulatory Process Design for Decarbonization, Equity, and Innovation
This RMI report provides recommendations for modernizing the regulatory processes of state public utilities commissions (PUCs) in the United States to accelerate the transition to a decarbonized and equitable electric grid. It identifies four primary areas for reform: setting clear proceeding objectives, expanding stakeholder roles in solution development, reducing information asymmetry through data transparency, and initiating new inclusive processes such as regulatory sandboxes and updated benefit-cost analysis frameworks.
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Document type: Report
Low-Carbon Fuels Have a Limited Role to Play in New York’s Buildings
This policy brief by RMI argues that low-carbon fuels—specifically green hydrogen, biomethane, and synthetic methane—are impractical for heating buildings in New York State. The document contends that these alternatives are energy-inefficient compared to heat pumps, require costly and risky infrastructure upgrades, pose health hazards, and divert critical resources away from energy efficiency and electrification goals mandated by the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA).
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Document type: Policy brief
Reality Check: Electric Trucks Are Viable Today
This fact sheet from RMI argues that electric trucks are currently viable for a significant portion of the market, provided that policy frameworks and grid infrastructure are strengthened to support their adoption.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Clean Energy 101: Electric Trucks
This guide from RMI outlines the current state and potential for electrifying various trucking sectors in North America, from passenger pickups and delivery vans to medium-duty box trucks and heavy-duty big rigs. It highlights the economic viability of electrification for several segments and the significant greenhouse gas emission reductions possible through the transition.
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Document type: Guide
Charting the Course for Early Truck Electrification
This report by RMI utilizes Geotab telematics data to identify electrifiable trucks in California and New York, analyzing the necessary charging infrastructure and the resulting emissions reductions compared to diesel vehicles.
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Document type: Report
Need Help Advancing Local Climate Action? Try Community Project Funding.
This guide from RMI explains how local governments can use Community Project Funding (CPF)—a form of discretionary spending available to members of Congress—to finance innovative clean energy and climate resilience projects that might not fit the strict criteria of traditional federal grants.
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Document type: Guide
Making Good Green Jobs the Law
This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) analyzes the necessity and design of federal just transition legislation in Canada. It evaluates international best practices from 12 jurisdictions to provide a framework for protecting workers and communities during the shift to a low-carbon economy, emphasizing social dialogue, Indigenous partnership, and corporate accountability.
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Document type: Report
Sustainable Energy in America Factbook
This document provides biographical profiles of speakers associated with the 2022 Sustainable Energy in America Factbook, detailing their professional roles in energy policy, government relations, and sustainability across various organizations.
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Document type: Fact sheet
The Climate Consequences of Plastics | Briefing | EESI
This briefing summarizes a panel discussion on the climate and environmental justice impacts of plastic production, highlighting the role of the petrochemical industry in greenhouse gas emissions and the necessity of policy shifts toward reuse and extended producer responsibility.
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Document type: Briefing
Accessing Global Cleantech Opportunities in a Virtual World
This policy brief by GreenCape examines how virtual platforms and international networks can help green small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) overcome trade barriers exacerbated by COVID-19. It highlights the methodologies of the International Cleantech Network (ICN) in using a virtual collaboration platform and a structured 'maturing process' to connect SMEs with global cleantech opportunities, illustrated through case studies in Helsinki and New York.
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Document type: Policy brief
Climate Jobs
This fact sheet from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) examines the state of 'climate jobs'—employment focused on climate change mitigation and adaptation—within the United States, detailing sector-specific employment numbers for 2020 and the potential for future growth through policy and investment.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Climate Jobs
This fact sheet from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) examines the state of 'climate jobs'—employment focused on climate change mitigation and adaptation—in the United States. It details employment figures across energy efficiency, renewable energy, clean transportation, and resilience sectors for 2020, noting the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and projecting future growth opportunities linked to federal investment and policy changes.
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Document type: Fact sheet
The State of Electric School Bus Adoption in the US
As of August 2021, fewer than 1% of U.S. school buses are electric, with 95% still relying on diesel. Adoption is led by California and Montgomery County, Maryland, though deployment is heavily skewed toward suburban areas (64% of committed buses). While some electric buses are in highly vulnerable communities, this is largely due to targeted funding in California. Federal initiatives like the American Jobs Plan and Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework provide scaling opportunities, though the report warns that funding 'clean' fossil-fuel alternatives like natural gas hinders decarbonization goals.
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Document type: Report
US Can’t Meet Climate Goals While Spending Billions on Gas Infrastructure
RMI argues that continued high spending on US gas distribution infrastructure is counterproductive to climate goals and risks creating stranded assets. The document advocates for a shift toward electrification and energy efficiency for residential and commercial buildings, while limiting gas infrastructure spending to targeted safety needs and high-value industrial applications.
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Document type: Statement
Why EPA Must Address Appliance Pollution
This RMI fact sheet argues that the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) should use its authority under the Clean Air Act to establish nitrogen oxides (NOX) standards that phase in requirements for electric appliances. The document highlights the significant health, environmental, and climate impacts of fossil-fuel burning appliances, particularly gas appliances, and positions electrification as a cost-effective solution to reduce premature deaths and pollution.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Tonawanda, New York, United States: The Closure of the Huntley Generating Station and Community-led Efforts for a Prosperous Future
This case study describes the community-led response in Tonawanda, New York, to the closure of the NRG Energy-owned Huntley Generating Station, a coal-fired power plant. It details the formation of the Huntley Alliance, a coalition that lobbied for state funding to mitigate tax revenue losses and developed a long-term economic vision called "Tonawanda Tomorrow" to diversify the local economy and redevelop waterfront property.
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Document type: Case study
BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOR THE EESI CONGRESSIONAL BRIEFING: TOWARDS AN EVIDENCE-BASED NUCLEAR ENERGY POLICY
This briefing by the Decommissioning Working Group argues that U.S. nuclear energy policy is not evidence-based and that the NRC is captured by industry interests. It highlights critical gaps in the management of decommissioning trust funds, the safety of spent fuel storage canisters, and the lack of safety standards for Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), recommending a shift toward science-based standards and increased Congressional oversight.
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Document type: Briefing
TOWARD AN EVIDENCE-BASED NUCLEAR ENERGY POLICY
This document provides biographical sketches of five speakers participating in a briefing titled "TOWARD AN EVIDENCE-BASED NUCLEAR ENERGY POLICY," which focuses on nuclear decommissioning, radioactive waste, and nuclear energy's role in climate strategy.
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Document type: Briefing